A reception was held on September 14 to welcome to City University of Hong Kong nearly 200 mainland students who have enrolled through the National Joint College Entrance Examination Scheme (NJCEES).

 

This is the first time the University has participated on the NJCEES and results have far exceeded expectations. 193 students, 30% more than the original target, have joined the CityU campus community, demonstrating that the new generation of mainland students recognizes the high standing of the University and values its professional education and applied research.

 

At the reception, Professor H K Chang, University President, offered the new students words of encouragement for their new life at CityU. “Leaving your hometown and coming alone to study in Hong Kong will bring many challenges to the way you live your life and study. As an institution with a strong caring culture, CityU will offer all the support necessary to help you adapt to Hong Kong and your new campus life,” he said.

 

Professor Chang encouraged the new students to find out more about Hong Kong and the rest of the world while studying at CityU.

 

Participation in the Q & A section was lively with students asking about course selection and classroom study. One student asked if the determining factor for course selection should be personal interest or future career. Professor Chang replied that interests might change with time and career prospects might be affected by changing demands in society. “You may not make good choice, but you have to make your choice good,” he said.

 

CityU joined the NJCEES this year and was listed as one of the nation’s foremost higher-education institutions, alongside Peking University and Tsinghua University. Under this scheme, CityU can recruit high-school graduates from 17 provinces in mainland China with the same application procedures adopted by the foremost higher-education institutions. As a result, CityU has become one of the hottest picks on the Scheme.

 

“Since we are competing directly with the top mainland universities, we can recruit high-calibre mainland students who identify with our study mode,” said Professor Richard Ho, Dean of Undergraduate Education. “And since they prefer CityU over mainland universities, I believe they will cherish this opportunity and make the best use of CityU’s learning resources. Their presence on campus will provide excellent opportunities for positive interaction with local students,” he added.

 

While most students admitted through the NJCEES have chosen the Faculty of Business, those admitted to the Faculty of Science and Engineering achieved the highest average scores in their university entrance exams. The average English language mark for all students enrolled on the Scheme was 124 out of 150. In terms of academic scores, over 50% scored higher than the baseline for the top-ranked universities on the mainland by 50 to 100 marks, and the scores of 13 students from Beijing exceeded the baseline by 100 marks. Seventy percent of students admitted through NJCEES will receive CityU scholarships.

 

An undergraduate preparatory programme will help the new students adapt to their new living and study environment and adjust to the local university education system. Subjects include Foundation English; Higher Mathematics; Introduction to Computer Studies; and Hong Kong and its People. Student Development Services will provide personal counselling services, and through the Buddy Scheme, a programme specially designed for non-local students, senior students will offer help inside and outside the classroom. The newly established International and Non-local Students Office (INSO) will arrange orientation activities such as campus tours, basic Cantonese courses, consultations on learning, and tours of Hong Kong.